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He coude his coming not forbere, 7635
Though ye him thrilled with a spere;
It nere not thanne as it is now.
But trusteth wel, I swere it yow,
That it is clene out of his thought.
Sir, certes, he ne thenketh it nought; 7640
No more ne doth Fair-Welcoming,
That sore abyeth al this thing.
And if they were of oon assent,
Ful sone were the Rose hent;
The maugre youres wolde be. 7645
And sir, of o thing herkeneth me:--
Sith ye this man, that loveth yow,
Han seid such harm and shame now,
Witeth wel, if he gessed it,
Ye may wel demen in your wit, 7650
He nolde no-thing love you so,
Ne callen you his freend also,
But night and day he [wolde] wake,
The castel to destroye and take,
If it were sooth as ye devyse; 7655
Or som man in som maner wyse
Might it warne him everydel,
Or by him-self perceyven wel;
For sith he might not come and gon
As he was whylom wont to don, 7660
He might it sone wite and see;
But now al other-wyse [doth] he.
Than have [ye], sir, al-outerly
Deserved helle, and Iolyly
The deth of helle douteles, 7665
That thrallen folk so gilteles. '
Fals-Semblant proveth so this thing
That he can noon answering,
And seeth alwey such apparaunce,
That nygh he fel in repentaunce, 7670
And seide him:--'Sir, it may wel be.
Semblant, a good man semen ye;
And, Abstinence, ful wyse ye seme;
Of o talent you bothe I deme.
What counceil wole ye to me yeven? ' 7675
_F. Sem. _ 'Right here anoon thou shalt be shriven,
And sey thy sinne withoute more;
Of this shall thou repente sore;
For I am preest, and have poustee
To shryve folk of most dignitee 7680
That been, as wyde as world may dure.
Of al this world I have the cure,
And that had never yit persoun,
No vicarie of no maner toun.
And, god wot, I have of thee 7685
A thousand tymes more pitee
Than hath thy preest parochial,
Though he thy freend be special.
I have avauntage, in o wyse,
That your prelates ben not so wyse 7690
Ne half so lettred as am I.
I am licenced boldely
In divinitee to rede,
And to confessen, out of drede.
If ye wol you now confesse, 7695
And leve your sinnes more and lesse,
Without abood, knele doun anon,
And you shal have absolucion. ' 7698

EXPLICIT.

5814. Th. wyl; G. tille. 5820. _Both_ sworne. 5821. G. The (_for_ That).
_Both_ nyl not. 5827. Th. leest; G.